Lily plant named ‘Miracle’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lily plant named ‘Miracle’, characterized by its relatively compact and upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large pure white-colored flowers that face outwardly; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Lilium longiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MIRACLE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lilyplant, commercially referred to as Easter or Trumpet Lily, botanicallyknown as Lilium longiflorum and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Miracle’.

The new Lily plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new freely-flowering Lily plants withpure white-colored flowers and good postproduction longevity.

The new Lily plant originated from a cross-pollination in June, 2006 oftwo unnamed proprietary seedling selections of Lilium longiflorum, notpatented. The new Lily plant was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a single flowering plant from within the resultant progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inWieringerwerf, The Netherlands in June, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lily plant by bulb scales in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlandssince June, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Lilyplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lily have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Miracle’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Miracle’ as a new and distinct Lily plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large pure white-colored flowers that face outwardly.    -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Lily differ primarily from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lily are taller than plants of the female        parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Lily are shorter than leaves of        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Lily are more freely flowering than plants        of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lily differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lily are more compact than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Lily have larger flower buds than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Lily can be compared to plants of the Lily ‘WhiteHeaven’, not patented. Plants of the new Lily differ from plants of‘White Heaven’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lily are typically grown as potted plants        whereas plants of ‘White Heaven’ are typically grown as cut        flower plants.    -   2. Plants of the new Lily have smaller flower buds and flowers        than plants of ‘White Heaven’.    -   3. Tepals of plants of the new Lily are not as recurved as        tepals of plants of ‘White Heaven’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Lily plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Lily plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplants of ‘Miracle’ grown in containers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands andunder cultural practices typically used in commercial production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., nighttemperatures averaged 15° C. and light levels averaged 6,000 lux.Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were 110 days old when the photograph anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lilium longiflorum ‘Miracle’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Lilium longiflorum, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Lilium longiflorum, not patented.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; single erect            flowering stem with a terminal cluster of flowers;            relatively compact and dense plant habit; vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant circumference.—About 42 cm.        -   Bulbs.—Diameter: About 10 cm to 20 cm. Texture: Smooth.            Color: Close to 155D.        -   Flowering stems.—Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Internode length:            About 1.2 cm to 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 135A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile; about 50            leaves develop per plant. Length, upper leaves: About            12.5 cm. Width, upper leaves: About 3.5 cm. Length, lower            leaves: About 10 cm. Width, lower leaves: About 7 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Acutely cuneate. Margin:            Entire. Aspect: Mostly horizontal, flat. Texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; leathery;            moderately glossy. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color:            Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to 135A; venation, close to 135A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 135A; venation,            close to 135A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and aspect.—Flowers umbellate and            trumpet-shaped; when fully opened, tepals slightly to            moderately recurved; flower buds and flowers face outwardly.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit, large bulbs will            produce up to five flowers per flowering stem.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; sweet, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in June and July in            The Netherlands; plants can be flowered year-round in the            greenhouse and forced to bloom about 110 days after planting            bulbs.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity,            flowers last about two weeks on the plant; tepals not            persistent; gynoecium persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 cm.            Circumference: About 14.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Color:            Close to between 145C and 149D; sutures, close to 144D.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 15 cm. Length (height): About            15 cm.        -   Perianth.—Quantity and arrangement: Six tepals per flower            arranged in two whorls; tepals imbricate. Tepal length,            inner tepals: About 15 cm. Tepal width, inner tepals: About            6 cm. Tepal length, outer tepals: About 15 cm. Tepal width,            outer tepals: About 4.5 cm. Tepal shape: Lanceolate. Tepal            apex: Acute, slightly to moderately recurved. Tepal margin:            Entire. Tepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Tepal color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to NN155C; proximally, close to 157D; color            does not change with development. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to NN155C; proximally, close to            157D; color does not change with development. Throat: Close            to 143B; nectar furrow, close to 140C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Angle:            About 90° to 95° from flowering stem. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 135A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.            Filament length: About 10 cm. Filament color: Close to 145D.            Anther length: About 1.2 cm. Anther color: Close to 145D.            Pollen color: Close to 17B. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Style length: About 10 cm. Style color: Close to 145D.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color:            Close to 141D.        -   Seeds.—To date, no viable seeds have been observed on plants            of the new Lily.-   Disease & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and    pests common to Easter Lilies has not been observed on plants of the    new Lily.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lily have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lily plant named ‘Miracle’ asillustrated and described.